The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has received a major boost following the decision by the Scallop Association to become a member.
The move, which will be formally announced at the Fishing 2008 exhibition in Glasgow tomorrow (3 April), brings the number of constituent associations in the Federation to nine, underlining its status as Scotland’s only cross-sector representative organisation for the country’s fishing industry.
John Hermse, secretary of the Scallop Association, said the decision to join the Federation made sense because it would enable the scallop sector to take advantage of the SFF’s expertise in protecting the interests of the fishing industry at both national and European level.
“It will provide a much more co-ordinated representation for the scallop industry and will ensure our voice is heard at the highest level,” he said.
The Scallop Association has around 80 members, plus 15 scallop processors and two diving members.
“This year is the Association’s 10th anniversary and we see joining the SFF as a significant milestone in its development,” said John Hermse.
“There are a number of major issues affecting the scallop sector, not least tackling environmental issues. It will be our priority this year to investigate ways of minimising our environmental footprint, including research into new types of fishing gear.”
The Association will also be heavily involved in the consultation process for the new Scottish Fisheries Scallop Strategy that is currently being developed.
Bertie Armstrong, SFF chief executive said: “We are delighted that the Scallop Association is joining the Federation and that it recognises the benefits of being part of the SFF.
“The scallop sector is an extremely important part of the fishing industry, which has signalled its commitment to responsible fishing and sustainable development.”
